NAB Cash Profit Falls 13% as Bad-Debt Charge Nearly Doubles to A$1.55 Billion
A software write-down and bigger provisions for a slowing economy hit National Australia Bank, which joined Westpac in sharply raising its bad-loan charge.
Capital Times: markets, business and economic news from Asia
Indonesia's Economy Grows 5.47% in Third Quarter, Beating Forecasts on State Spending
Government consumption jumped 8.95% and construction grew 6.42% as Jakarta's priority programs lifted output, while household spending held near 5%.
Gold Touches $4,121 Two-Week High as Silver Lags and Gold-Silver Ratio Widens to 78
Bullion extended its rebound on a weaker dollar while silver trailed, and record ETF holdings showed where the steadier money has gone.
UOB Quarterly Profit Nearly Triples to S$1.25 Billion but Misses Forecasts, Shares Fall 5%
Record fee income could not offset a thinner lending margin and weaker trading gains at Singapore's third-largest bank, which reported a day before DBS and two days before OCBC.
Hong Kong Passes Crypto Tax Reporting Law, Exchanges Must Collect User Data From 2027
The OECD framework requires crypto platforms, brokers and ATM operators to report users' trades, with the first cross-border data swaps in 2028.
HSBC Rolls Out Hong Kong Dollar Stablecoin RedCoin to 3.3 Million PayMe Users
The HKMA-licensed token runs on a private ledger and pays no interest. HSBC's tracker showed HK$83.2 million in circulation six days after launch.
Bank Negara Holds OPR at 2.75%, Sees 2026 Growth Above 5% as Ringgit Firms to 4.04
Malaysia's central bank kept rates steady at its last meeting of the year and warned that inflation will edge higher in 2027, keeping talk of a future hike alive.
Markets
Full markets data ›Latest
- CurrenciesThai Baht Climbs 0.6% to 33.40 Per Dollar as S&P Affirms Thailand's BBB+ Rating
- Southeast AsiaPhilippine Inflation Jumps to 7.8% in October, Fastest Since 2023, as Core Hits 5.4%
- Central BanksFed's Hammack Backs Gradual Rate Hikes With Inflation at 3.6%; December Odds Ease to 70%
- IPOsChinese AI Satellite Maker Adaspace Seeks Up to HK$1 Billion in Hong Kong IPO
- CommercialSeoul Prime Office Vacancy Rises to 4.6% as New Towers Flood the CBD, Savills Says
- DealsAdani Ports Agrees to Buy Europe's Evos for 2.56 Billion Euros in Debt-Funded Deal
China's Economy Grows 4.5% in Third Quarter, Beating Forecasts as Factories Hum
Growth picked up from the second quarter on manufacturing and exports, while construction shrank and officials flagged weak domestic demand.
Hong Kong IPOs Raise Record HK$388 Billion in Nine Months, Putting Best Year in Reach
KPMG says full-year proceeds could near HK$500 billion as A+H listings and tech issuers fill a pipeline of more than 600 applicants.
Asian Markets
Samsung Drags Kospi Down 3% as Alphabet's Cash Burn Cools Asia's AI Stock Rally
Japanese chip stocks rallied ahead of the BOJ and Hong Kong held flat in morning trade, while Samsung's profit miss and a battery stake sale sank Seoul.
Treasury Yields Slip Back Below 5% as Fed Decision Looms After September Rout
The 10-year yield has fallen for three weeks after touching its highest since 2007, but oil and supply worries still hang over the market.
Asia's Currencies Close October Mixed as Rupee Gains About 1% and Yuan Hits 4-Year High
With the Fed and the Bank of Japan both on hold, central bank defenses, export dollars and oil decided which currencies won the month.
Brent Eases From Near Six-Month High as Saudi-Iran Talks Temper Houthi Supply Scare
Diplomacy in Tehran trimmed oil prices, but attacks on Saudi energy sites and on Hormuz shipping keep a heavy risk premium in place.
India's Top Court Said Banks Should Repay Fraud Victims. Asia Should Go Further
India's top court wants full repayment when bank checks fail. Asia's regulators, including Singapore's, should write that default into law and close the gaps savers still fall through.
The Editorial Board
Korea's Pension Fund Should Not Raise Its 20.8% Home Stock Target to Prop Up the Kospi
A 181 trillion won loss in July shows what a swollen Korean equity stake costs members. The year-end review should keep 20.8% as a ceiling and rule out another pause in rebalancing.
The Editorial Board
Japan Raised the iDeCo Cap to 62,000 Yen. Now It Should Enroll Workers Automatically
Fewer than 6% of eligible people use Japan's private pension accounts. Bigger limits help the savers already there; an opt-out default would reach the rest.
The Editorial Board
Japan Has Spent 27 Trillion Yen Defending Its Currency. Policy Must Do the Rest
Record dollar sales have slowed the yen's slide but not reversed it. A December rate increase and restraint on tax cuts would do more.
The Editorial Board
Artificial Intelligence
Moonshot AI Weighs Up to $5 Billion Hong Kong IPO After $50 Billion Valuation
The Kimi developer has closed its last private round and lined up banks for a listing as soon as early 2027, Bloomberg reported.
- TSMC Profit Jumps 69% to a Record as 2nm Ramp Lifts Fourth-Quarter OutlookSemiconductors · 3 min read
- Asia Startup Funding Holds Near Highs at $38.5 Billion as AI Draws 55%Startups & VC · 3 min read
- Alphabet Sinks on $9 Billion Cash Burn as Microsoft Gains on 48% Azure GrowthArtificial Intelligence · 4 min read
China Trade
China's Exports Jump 36% in September as AI Demand Pushes Surplus to 2026 High
Shipments beat forecasts by more than 10 percentage points, and the annual surplus is on pace to top $1 trillion again.
- Australia's Core Inflation Rises to 3.7%, Beating Forecasts and Firming RBA Hike BetsGrowth & Inflation · 4 min read
- Fed Holds Rates at 3.75% to 4% in 10-2 Vote as Warsh Plans Fewer Rate DecisionsCentral Banks · 4 min read
- Trump Holds Off on Robotics, Machinery Tariffs, Orders 180 Days of Trade TalksTrade · 3 min read
India Clears Fairfax's Takeover of IDBI Bank in INR 529 Billion Stake Sale
PetroChina Profit Rises 21.6%, Sinopec's Jumps 57% Even as China Fuel Sales Fall
Pop Mart Revenue Falls Up to 50% in Third Quarter as Labubu Sales Weaken
Bain and LY Top EQT Again in Kakaku.com Fight as Tender Deadline Nears
Brazil
Brazilian Stocks Plunge 13.7% and the Real Slides After Lula Wins Runoff
Investors had bet on a Bolsonaro victory after the first round. Lula's narrow comeback reversed that trade and put Brazil's debt back in focus.
EU and China Reach Hybrid Car Understanding, Pledge Faster Rare Earth Licenses
Two days of talks in Beijing pulled both sides back from a trade war, but EV duties stay in place and the hybrid terms remain unpublished.
QatarEnergy Signs 20-Year Deal for Up to 3 Million Tons a Year of Woodside's US LNG
The world's top LNG exporter has now lined up 7 million tons a year of U.S. gas as force majeure on its own cargoes runs to year-end.
Apple's Greater China Sales Jump 21% to $17.5 Billion as Memory Costs Test Margins
Record September-quarter revenue of $114.5 billion came with inventories more than doubling and a foldable iPhone its suppliers cannot build fast enough.
China Property
China's Top 100 Developers Sell 2.54 Trillion Yuan Through October as Poly Clings to Lead
October sales rose from September as a mortgage subsidy took effect, but only six developers have topped 100 billion yuan this year, one fewer than a year earlier.
- Link REIT Sells Mong Kok's 700 Nathan Road for HK$2.3 Billion, 61% Below 2016 PriceCommercial · 4 min read
- Hong Kong Home Prices Rise 0.19% in September as Rents Hit Another Record HighResidential · 3 min read
Investing
Koreans Pour Record 5.18 Trillion Won Into Mirae's S&P 500 ETF as Kospi Swings
The U.S. index fund became the first Korean-listed ETF to pull in 5 trillion won of retail money in a year, as the Kospi jumped 6% and then fell 3.5%.
- Singapore Savings Bond Return Rises to 2.45% as T-Bill Yields Climb Toward 2%Saving & Banking · 3 min read
- Singapore Keeps Asia's Only A Grade in Global Pension Index as Indonesia SlipsRetirement · 3 min read
Aviation
Air China Third-Quarter Profit Sinks 93% as Jet Fuel Costs Erase Summer Travel Gains
The flag carrier flew 7.3% more passengers in the peak quarter but kept just 271 million yuan of profit, with China Eastern and China Southern reporting next.
Hong Kong's Bar Leone Keeps World's Best Bar Title as Asia Takes 13 Spots
Hong Kong tied New York and Paris with four bars in the top 50, while venues in Bangkok and Seoul climbed into the top 10.
Swiss Watch Exports Rise 11.7% in September as Hong Kong Shipments Edge Up
A rebound in US shipments drove a fourth straight monthly gain, while exports to mainland China fell 14.2% on an unfavorable base effect.
JYP Entertainment Shares Jump 6.8% on Unverified Takeover Claim as Regulator Warns
Two little-known groups say they plan to bid for up to half of the Stray Kids label. JYP says no valid proposal arrived, and Korea's watchdog is monitoring trading.
The Asia Open
Our 6 a.m. HKT briefing on what moved overnight and what to watch when Asian markets open. Weekdays, free.